Grating apparatus



Dec. 22, 1964 E. J. WRIGHT GRATING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 16, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 NZWEQFQ Q Inventor Attorneys E. J. WRIGHT GRATING APPARATUS Dec. 22, 1964 Filed Jan. 16, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor 6W ,w

Attorneys Dec. 22, 1964 E. J. WRIGHT 3,162,384 GRATING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 16, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I nvenlor Attorneys United States Patent 3,162,384 GRATIN G APPARATUS Edward James Wright, Hendon, London, England, assignor to Peerless & Ericsson Limited, London, England, a British company Filed Jan. 16, 1963, Ser. No. 251,983 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Jan. 22, 1962,

11 Claims. (Cl. 241-90 This invention relates to grating apparatus and in particular to apparatus suitable for grating blocks of ice into small chips or flakes although also capable of grating a wide .variety of other materials.

In the hotel and restaurant trade it has been found desirable to use very small chips or flakes of ice, often referred to as snow, in ice buckets for the cooling of wines. The use of these small ice chips or flakes has been found to be generally more economical as well as being more efficient and more pleasing to the customer. It is an object of the present invention to provide cheap and eflici-ent grating apparatus suitable for converting blocks of ice into small chips or flakes.

According to the invention there is provided grating apparatus comprising a cylindrical perforate grating drum, means for moving material to be grated in contact with the interior of the drum, a screen surrounding and spaced from the drum for collecting grated material, and means for moving the screen to prevent the build up of grated material thereon. Preferably the screen is flexible and a portion thereof is fixed in relation to the drum, the means for moving the screen being adapted continuously to flex the screen to prevent the build up of grated material thereon. Conveniently the screen may comprise a cylinder of plastics material, e.g. polyvinylchloride, surrounding the drum with its inner end fixed in relation to the drum and its outer end secured to means adapted to give an orbital movement to said outer end to flex the sock during operation of the apparatus.

It has been found that in order to obtain satisfactory ice chips or flakes the blocks of ice have to be moved against the grater at some considerable speed and, consequen ly, the particles of grated ice leave the grater drum at such a velocity as to adhere together and collect on the screen surrounding the drum. The movement of the screen of the apparatus of the present invention shakes the grated ice from the screen and prevents an excessive build up of ice on the screen which would block and prevent proper operation of the grating apparatus.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the means for moving material to be grated in the drum comprises a vaned impeller mounted coaxially within the drum so that upon rotation of the impeller the material to be grated is urged outwardly against the interior of the drum by centrifugal force. Conveniently the impeller may be mounted on a shaft at one end of which is arranged an offset or eccentric pin engaging in a bore in the centre piece of a spider supporting a ring fastened around the outer end of the sock so that upon rotation of the impeller shaft the spider, and thus the outer end of the sock, is given an orbital movement continuously to flex the sock.

Preferably means are provided for automatically feeding material to be grated to the interior of the drum. This means may conveniently comprise an inclined tray having at least one opening at its lower end leading to the drum. This tray is mounted for slight movement with respect to the main body of the apparatus carrying the drum, means being provided for continuously moving the tray during operation of the apparatus whereby material on the tray gravitates to the opening.

3,162,384 Patented Dec. 22, 1964 paratus embodying the invention will now be described, merely by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view in cross section of grating apparatus according to the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 showing an alternative embodiment of the invention provided with an automatic feed tray; and

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along the line IIIHI of FIGURE 2.

Referring to FIGURE 1 of the drawings, the main body of the apparatus comprises a base plate 1 to which is bolted a housing 2 which may, for instance, be an aluminium casting. Mounted within this housing 2 is an electric motor 3 having a vertically extending drive shaft 4 to the upper end of which is keyed a toothed drive pulley 5. A toothed power transmission belt is arranged Particular constructional examples of ice grating apto engage both the drive pulley 5 and a driven pulley 6 keyed to the top end of a shaft 7 which is mounted to project downwardly from the housing 2 and which has a vaned impeller 8 keyed to its lower, or outer, end.

Surrounding the impeller 8 and impeller shaft 7 is a grater drum 9 which is bolted at its upper end to the housing 2 and is secured at its lower end to a closure plate 10. The drum 9, which may conveniently be made of stainless steel, is cylindrical and is provided on its interior surface with a multiplicity of grating projections formed by forcing small port-ions of the drum inwardly to perforate the drum. The closure plate 10 is provided with drainage holes 11 for allowing the escape of liquid from the drum and has an embossment 12 formed at its centre. The impeller shaft is supported for rotation by a ball race 13 mounted in this embossment as well as by a ball race 14 mounted in the housing.

The upper, or inner, end of a screen comprising acylinder 21 of flexible plastics material is secured to the housing by a band clamp 15. This sock, which may be made of polyvinylchloride or any other suitable flexible material, is spaced from and surrounds the grater drum. At its lower, or outer, end the edge of the sock is secured to a metal stiffening flange or ring 16 which forms, together with two arms 17 and a centre piece 18, a spider for locating the outer end of the sock. A bore 19 in the centre piece is engaged by a pin 20 which projects from the lower end of the impeller shaft 7 and is offset or eccentrically arranged with respect to the shaft axis so that u on rotation of the shaft the spider has an orbital movement which causes the continuous flexing movement of the flexible sock 21.

A passage 22 is provided in the housing and leads to the top of the grating drum to permit ice, or other material to be grated, to be supplied to the interior of the drumf A hinged closure flap 23 is provided at the entrance to the passage while just inside the passage are provided one or more rods 24 extending part way across the passage to form a grill preventing the feeding of blocks of ice or other materials which are too large to enter the grating drum. The impeller 8 mounted in the drum is formed as a disc with a conical upper surface 25 which slopes downwardly towards its periphery. Attached to the upper surface are two diametrically opposed vanes 26 which are at such an inclination to the impeller shaft axis as to urge material within the drum against the interior surface of the drum upon rotation of the impeller.

During operation of the apparatus to form small ice chips or flakes, ice blocks are fed through the passage 22 in the housing into the drum 9 so as to rest upon the impeller 8. Rotation of the impeller by the motor 3 causes particles grated from the ice blocks by movement of the blocks along the wall of the drum 9 to be flung at a high speed through the perforations in the drum against the screen substantially impervious to particles of grated masurfa'ce of the flexible sock At the same time the rotation of the impeller shaft 7 causes an orbital movement of the spider thus continuously to flex the sock. The small ice particles flung from the drum stick to the surface of the sock and build up to a small extent until the fiexingof the sock causes the slightly compacted ice particles to fall past the] spider into a bowl resting 'on the base'beneath the sock and grater drum. The slight compaction of the ice before it falls away. from the sock renders it ideal for the cooling of wines in ice-buckets.

In a particular example of the apparatus'it has been found that with a six inchdiameter gating 'dru mia A h p. motor can be used to drive the impellerat about 500 r.p.m.'to provide a suitable action-for grating blocks of ice into fine chips or 'fiak es. v I

FIGURES 2 and 3 of the drawings illustrate a further 21 surrounding the drum. i I

thus the outer end of the screen, is given an orbital movement. i

3. Apparatus for grating material into cohesive particles and comprising a main body, a cylindrical perforate grating drum carried by, said main body, an inclined tray mounted for slight movement with respectto said main body, such tray having an opening at itslower end leading to the drum, means for continuously moving theitray during operation of: the apparatus whereby material to be grated on the tray gravitates to the opening and is fed to the interior'of the drum, an impeller rotatably mounted within the drum for moving material tobe grated in contact with the interior surface of the drum, a screen of embodiment of grating apparatus generally similar with the apparatus of FIGURE 1 except for some minor constructional differences and the provision of an automatic feed for material to the grater drum. Thusthe main body, of the apparatus comprises a housing in two separate portions 27 and 28 secured together by bolts 29,

while the impeller30 is provided with two substantially rectangular vanes 31 parallel with the axis of the impeller shaft instead of the inclined vanes 26 of the embodiment of FIGURE 1. r 1 v a The automatic feed comprises a tray 32 mounted above the main body of the apparatus and inclined downwardly towards openings 33leading into the passage; 22 for directing material to be grated toithe drum. The tray is supported'for slight movement relative to the main body of the apparatus by three rubber pads 34, 35 and 36 secured to the housing. each covered by a strip 37 bolted to the side. of the tray and having a flange 38 extending beneath the pad to position the tray on the main body of the apparatus. A cover plate 39 is provided at the lower end .of the tray to prevent material spilling over thelower' edge of the tray during use of the apparatus; Fixed to the underside of the tray is a bushing 40 in which engages an eccentric shaft extension 41 provided on-a drive pulley 42 secured on the drive shaft 4 of the drive motor 3;

During operation of-this embodiment, the eccentric shaft extension 41rcontinuonslymoves the tray 32 sothat material on the tray gravitates to' the openings,33 from whence itpasses down passage 22 into the interior of the drum." It is desirable that the movement'of the tray becaused by the drive'pulley 42 rather than the driven pulley6 asthe automatic feed operation is more eifective with ahigherlfrequency movement than that required for the impeller shaft 7. I claim:

1. Apparatus for grating material into self. adherent.

particles and comprising a cylindrical perforate grating drum, a vaned impeller mounted coaxially within the drum, means for rotating the vaned impeller whereb'y'ma terial to be grated is urged outwardly against the interior of the drum by centrifugal force, a flexible cylindrical terial surrounding and spaced from the drum for collecting said particles of grated material, said screen having an inner fixed end and an outer movable end, and means secured to saidouter end forgiving an orbital movement to said outer .end 'whereby thescreen isfiexed-during operation of the apparatus to prevent thebuild up of said self adherent particles .of grated material thereon.

i 2. Grating apparatus according to claim :1, comprising a shaft uponwhich the impeller is mounted, the means for giving an orbital movement to the outer end of the screen comprising an offset eccentric pin arranged at one end of said shaft, and a spidersupporting a ring-fastened around the outer, e'ndof the screen, 'saids'p'ider having a centre piece provided with a bore in which en'gagesthe eccentric pin wherebyiupo. rotation of the shaft the spider, and:

flexible material impervious to said grated material surrounding and spaced from they drum for collecting said cohesive particles of grated material, and. means .drivingly connected with said impeller for flexing the screen whereby the build up of cohesive particles of grated material thereon is prevented.

4. Ice grating apparatus comprising'a main body, a cylindrical perforate grating drum carried by said main body, an'inclined tray mountedfor slight movement with respect to said main body; said'tray having at its lower end an opening leading to; said drum, a bushing secured tothe'tray, a rotatable eccentric shaft extension engaging said bushing, means for continuously rotating said shaft whereby, ice on said tray gravitates to said opening, a vaned impellermou'nted for rotation "coaxially 'within said drum, means for rotating said impeller whereby ice to be grated is urged outwardly against theinterior surface of said drum by centrifugal force, a flexible cylin- The two side pads 35 'and.36 are drical screen surrounding and spaced from the said drum for collecting grated ice particles, said screen having an innerend secured to said main, body and a movable outer end, and means'secured to said outer endfor giving an orbital movement to said outer: end to flex the screen during operation of the apparatus whereby the build up of grated material thereon is prevented. f

5. Grating apparatus according to clainr4, wherein the means for'rotating said shaft comprisesa'motor having a drive shaft carrying a. drive pulley, said shaftextension being eccentrically mounted on said drive pulley, and the means for rotating the impeller comprises. a driving connection fromr the impeller to said drive pulley.

6. Ice rgrating'apparatus'comprising'a main b0dy,'a cylindrical perforate grating drum carried by said main body, rubber pads mounted onsaid main body, an inclined 'tray' carried by said rubber pads which permit movement of the tray independent of said main body, said inclinedttray havingman opening at its lower end leading to the interior of said drum, .a' shaft ro'tatably mounted" coaxially Withinfsaid drum, a vaned impeller mounted'upon said shaft wher'ebyupon rotation of said shaft'ice'to be gratedis urged ontwardly against'the interior of the drum'by centrifugal force, a flexible screen surrounding and spaced from said drum for collecting self 1 adherent grated ice particles, saidrrscreen haying a fixed inner end and a movable outer end, a ring secured to said outer end, a spidersupporting saidsring, said spider having a centre piece with a bore provided centrallyrthereof, an offset eccentric .pin .arrangedtatone end .of said shaft and engaging in the bbrein the spider centrepiece whereby upon rotationof said shaft said spider flexes the sleeve to preventthe build uppof self adherent grated ice particles thereon, a motor carried by-said main body, a drive pulley rotatable bysaid' motor, a driving connection between said drive-pulley and said shaft, a shaftextension provided eccentricallyiof said drive pulley, and a bushing secured to said .tray and engaged by said shaft extension whereby. during rotation of said drive pulley by said motor the "tray is movedwith respect to said main body and ice on the tray gravitates to the opening for feed. to said drum.-:*. i t

7. Apparatusfor grating blocksof ice into small chips comprising a cylindrical perforate grat'ng drum, 5 means for moving ice to be grated in contact with the interior of the drum, a flexible screen impervious to the passage of ice chips surrounding and spaced from the drum for collecting grated ice chips, a portion of said screen being fixed in relation to said drum, and means for continuously flexing the screen whereby the build up of self adherent grated ice chips thereon is prevented.

8. Ice grating apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the screen comprises a cylinder of plastics material surrounding the drum.

9. Ice grating apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the plastics material is polyvinyl chloride.

10. Apparatus for grating material into self adherent particles comprising a cylindrical perforate grating drum, means for moving blocks of material to be grated in contact with the interior of the drum, a flexible cylindrical screen surrounding and spaced from the drum for collecting grated material, said screen, which is impervious to the passage of said non-adherent particles, having an inner fixed end and an outer movable end, and means secured to said outer end for giving an orbital movement thereto continuously to flex the screen during operating of the apparatus whereby build up of self adherent particles on the interior of the screen is prevented during use of the apparatus.

11. Grating apparatus for material grated particles of 6 which are naturally coherent and self adherent, such apparatus comprising a cylindrical perforate grating drum, a vaned impeller mounted coaxially within the drum, means for rotating the vaned impeller whereby material to be grated is urged outwardly against the interior of the drum by centrifugal force, a collecting screen surrounding and spaced from the drum for collecting particles of grated material projected from the perforations of said grating drum, said screen having an inner fixed end and an outer movable end and being formed of a flexible material impervious to the passage of said particles of grated material, and means connecting said movable end to said means for rotating said impeller whereby said screen is continuously flexed responsive to rotation of said impeller to prevent the build up of a mass of said self adherent particles of grated material thereon.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 181,181 8/76 Jory et al. 209381 860,747 7/07 Humphreys 241-186 911,913 2/09 Snyder et a1. 146--253 2,609,993 9/52 Planiol 241-275 J. SPENCER OVERHOLSER, Primary Examiner. 

7. APPARATUS FOR GRATING BLOCKS OF ICE INTO SMALL CHIPS COMPRISING A CYLINDRICAL PERFORATE GRATING DRUM, MEANS FOR MOVING ICE TO BE GRATED IN CONTACT WITH THE INTERIOR OF THE DRUM, A FLEXIBLE SCREEN IMPERVIOUS TO THE PASSAGE OF ICE CHIPS SURROUNDING AND SPACED FROM THE DRUM FOR COLLECTING GRATED ICE CHIPS, A PORTION OF SAID SCREEN BEING FIXED IN RELATION TO SAID DRUM, AND MEANS FOR CONTINUOUSLY FLEXING THE SCREEN WHEREBY THE BUILD UP OF SELF ADHERENT GRATED ICE CHIPS THEREON IS PREVENTED. 